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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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20 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


1980 


d_ 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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r~71    Coloured  covers/ 

Iv  I    Couverture  de  couleur 

□    Covers  dama^l'^d/ 
Couvertuie  endommag^e 

□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicul6e 


D 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

□    Coloured  inl(  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  butre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

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D 
D 


D 


D 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
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0 


10X 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  redaction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 

14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


12X 


16X 


y 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


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Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
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sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
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sion,  and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


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papier  est  imprimde  sont  filmds  er  commengant 
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premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ♦-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

8 

6 

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v; :  - 


COASTING  VOYAGES 


4  IN    TIIK 


GULF    OF    MAINE, 


Made  in  the  yeaks  KKM,  5  and  6,  by 


SAMUEL  CHAMPLAIN: 


A    E'APER  READ   AT    THE  WINTER    MEETING    OF    THE    MAINE 
HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  IN    PORTLAND.    FEB.   1«,    1«75. 


BY   GEN.  JOHN  MARSHALL  BROWN, 


OP   FAXiiOUTH. 


BATH: 

PKIlrt'ED    BY  E.    UPTON    A   SON. 
1875. 


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1 


i 


COASTING  VOYA 


IN    THE 


GULF   OF   MAINE, 


MaJ>£  m  THE  YEABS   1604,    5  AND   G,    BY 


SAMUEL  CHAMPLAIN: 


A  PAPER  READ  AT    THE  WINTER   MEETING    OF   THE    MAINE 
HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  IN    PORTLAND,    FEB.  18,    1875. 


BY  GEN.  JOHN  MARSHALL  BROWN, 


OP  FAIiMOUTH. 


BATH: 

PRINTED    BY   E.    UPTON   4  SON. 
1875. 


» 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


i 


The  paper  which  follows  was  preparcMl,  uiulor  many  disadvan- 
tagos,  in  great  haste.  It  was  my  purpose  to  call  attention  to  the 
extremely  interesting  narrative  of  Champlain,  which,  as  found  in 
the  original  edition  of  KJl.S,  is  comparatively  unknown  to  students 
of  American  History,  and  not  attempt  either  a  translation,  or  even 
an  extended  corajnlation. 

The  accounts  of  De  Monts'  expedition,  and  his  o])erations  and 
discoveries  on  our  coast,  seem  to  have  been  chi(>tiy  taken  l)y  onr 
historians  from  Lescarbot,  who  was  not  pai'ticiibirly  friendly  to 
Champlain,  nnd  had  little  interest  in  the  events  which  iireccded  his 
own  arrival  in  the  country.  Champlain's  own  journal  published  in 
Ifil.S,  and  now  accessible  through  the  admirable  reprint  of  the  Abbe 
Laverdiere,  is  very  complete  and  detailed  in  its  statements,  and  the 
source  to  which  we  must  go  for  orif/inaf  information.  A  subsequent 
edition  publishcnl  in  10:^2  is  a  summary  of  the  work  done  during 
Champlain's  residence  here,  and  must  have  been  prepared  by  other 
hands.  In  this  editicm  the  events  of  the  three  years  are  massed 
together,  and  tlie  voyages  of  IfiOt  and  .5  appear  as  one.  The  erriu-s 
which  have  become  incorpcn-attnl  in  our  published  histories  are 
traceable  to  this  coniusion.  At  the  time  this  paper  was  prepared  I 
knew  of  no  attempt,  in  English,  to  give  a  narrative  of  these  events  in 
their  proper  order,  or  to  call  attention  to  their  singular  bearing  upon 
the  early  history  and  cartography  of  our  State.  I  have  since 
learned  that  the  Prince  Society  is  soon  to  publish  a  translation  of 
the  edition  of  1613. 


I 


4 


CHAMPL AIN'S  EXPLORATIONS  OF  THE  COAST  OF  MAINE. 


The  results  of  the  Plantation  at  Plyiuoutli  and  Massa- 
chusetts Ba}'  have  been  so  extended  and  i)ornianent,  that 
the  earlier  attempts  at  colonization  on  the  coast  of  New 
England  have,  until  recently,  met  with  Kttle  attention  or 
favor  from  the  historian.  Tt  has  very  j^roperly  Ix^come 
the  si)ecial  care  of  our  own  Society  to  throw  light  into  this 
partial  darkness,  and  give  due  prominence  to  efforts  no 
less  honorable  or  heroic,  and  antedating  by  nniny  years 
the  settlements  which,  under  God,  have  been  so  fniitful  of 
good  to  our  country  and  the  world.  I  have  felt,  however, 
that  even  Ave,  in  our  zeal  to  achl  to  the  lustre  of  the  great 
deeds  of  adventure  performed  by  men  of  our  own  hneage 
and  tongue,  may  have  slighted  that  hardy  and  chivalrous 
race,  who  from  across  the  English  Channel  held  up  a 
constant  defiance  to  our  forefathers,  and  in  the  \ery  A\aters 
which  bathe  the  headlands  and  beaches  of  our  State,  kept 
up  a  sturdy  and  honorable  rivalry  in  adventure,  discovery 
and  trade.  The  north-eastern  portion  of  North  America 
was  called  New  France  more  than  fifty  years  before  it  was 
called  New  England. 

In  1605,  fifteen  years  before  the  Mayflower  came  to 
anchor  in  Plymouth  harbor,  its  waters  had  been  sounded, 
and  its  shores  exj^lored  by  an  organized  colony  of  French 
seeking  for  a  permanent  home;  and  eight  years  later  there 
was  published  at  the  httle  shop  of  Jean  Berjon,  in  the  Rue 


J 


r^ 


6 


CHAMPLAIN  S  EXPLOIUTIONS 


St.  Jean  dv  ])C'jinvais  at  Paris,  a  clmrt  attesting  by  its 
surprisiiii;-  act-uracy  tlie  fidelity  and  skill  with  which  the 
work  had  Ix'cn  ])rri'()niK'd.  At  that  time  the  larger  part 
of  the  })res('nt  State  of  Maine  had  been  under  the  dominion 
of  France  for  nearly  a  ccmtury,  nt)r  were  these  pretensions 
abandoned  for  nearly  a  century  and  a  half  lattn',  when,  by 
the  fail  of  (Quebec  in  1751)  the  eastern  ])ortion  of  our  State 
])as.sed  forev(>r  from  tlie  possessicm  of  France.  This  long 
o;-cu})ation  having  its  beginning  in  days  so  shadowy  and 
remote  that  fable  and  tradition  liav(>  supi)lanted  history, 
has  from  tlu^  beginning  been  fi'uitful  of  stirring  adventures 
by  sea  and  land,  lofty  ambition,  heroic  endurance,  patient 
sullering,  the  ])rowess  of  gentlemen  and  men  of  arms,  and 
great  numbers  of  "toilers  of  the  sea,"  the  sacrifices  of 
pious  women,  and  martyred  missicmaries  of  the  church. 

It  is  the  ()])je('t  of  this  ])a})er  to  make  brief  mention  of 
some  adventures  which  mark  a  most  impcu'tant  era  in  the 
history  of  Maine,  and  stand  as  it  were;  on  the  border  line 
whicli  st'[)ar,ites  the  fanciful  from  the  real :  adventures,  in 
which  there  were  many  men  of  heroic  build,  but  chief 
among  th(>m  all,  the  man  whose  modest  pen  has  preserved 
the  story. 

Samut'l  Ch.implain  was  b(n'n  in  15()7,  at  the  little  town 
(^f  Bi'ouage  in  Saintonge,  now  the  Department  of  Charente 
Li/eriatrr.  For  years  the  people  of  his  neighborhood  must 
have  been  familiar  with  the  great  ced  fisheries  of  the 
countri(»s  beyond  the  sea.  His  father  was  a  fisherman  and 
may  himself  have  made  the  voyage  to  the  nc-w  found  land. 
The  son  had  the  Basijue  eagerm>ss  f(n"  adventure ;  naturally 
a  sailor  hv  l)ecame  an  oflicer  in  lloyal  nmrine ;  he  served 
also  with  honor  in  tin;  wars,  active  everywhere,  soldier  or 
sailor  as  the  emei'gency  might  arise.  He  early  attracted 
the  notice  of  the  King  and  received  many  marks  of  his 
confidence  and  favor,  and  Avas  ennobled  for  his  worth. 
After  a  slujrt  service  with  tlu^  army  in  Brittany  he  spent 
three  years  in  the  West  Indies  and  Mexico,  tliere  and 


OF   THE   COAST   OF   MAINE, 


by  its 
cli  the 
jr  part 
iiinion 
nsions 
leii,  by 
I-  State 
is  long 
,vy  and 
listory, 
mtures 
patient 
QS,  and 
[ices  of 
roll, 
itiou  of 
I  in  the 
ler  hne 
ures,  in 
it  chief 
eserved 

le  town 
Jliarente 
od  must 
of   the 
Qiin  and 
lid  land, 
aturally 
e  served 
)ldier  or 
ittracted 
:s  of  his 
s  worth, 
he  spent 
lere  and 


everywhere  givinjj;  free  scope  to  his  wonderful  i)owers  of 
observation  iind  fiicility  of  descri})tioii,  making  notes  and 
m;ips,  and  sketcliing  in  his  way  men  and  things,  whether 
man  or  beast  or  fruit  or  Hower,  S.-ifely  at  hoiiu^  again  liis 
restless  nature  urged  him  to  another  (juarter  of  the  globe, 
and  in  li'm  he  sjiiled  with  l)u  Pont-CJrave  and  ex])lor(Hl 
the  St.  Lawrence.  Tlie  following  year  Le  j(uned  tlie 
company  of  Do  Monts,  not,  as  some  hisbn-ijins  assert,  the 
pilot  of  the  expedition,  Imt  esi)eeially  commissioned,  it 
Avould  ai)pear,  by  the  King  himself,  a  Eoyal  Geographer, 
ordered  to  make  discoveries  and  prepare  mai)s  and  charts, 
and  report  directly  to  the  Crown.  Three  years  he  remained 
h(>i'e,  faithfully  carrying  out,  under  circumstances  of  f^reat 
hardship  and  peril,  tlii'  instructions  he  had  recf^ved,  and 
the  record  he  has  left  is  a  marvtsl  of  accuracy,  patience 
and  indomitable  courage.  The  entire  coast  hne  of  the 
Gulf  of  Maine  was  reconnoit(»r(Ml  and  described,  and  charts 
made  of  the  principal  harbors,  which  were  in  lOl;}  pub- 
lisheil  at  Paris  under  his  own  su])ervisi(m. 

The  ]mr])os(\  of  this  paper  rendcsrs  unnecessary  any 
particular  allusion  to  his  subsecpient  career.  It  is  enougli 
tliat  America  chdmed  him  as  her  own,  and  his  tond)  is  in 
th(!  city  he  founded,  in  tln^  Xew  France,  to  whose  welfare 
he  devot(>d  the  best  energies  of  his  life. 

The  expedition  of  Bo  Monts  was  pn-pared  with  great 
dehl)erati(m,  and  its  composition  arranged  Avith  thonghtful 
reference  to  the  needs  and  possibilities  of  the  futurt>  cok)nv. 
The  Company  nund)ered  (m  its  rolls,  soldiers  imu'ed  to 
foreign  service,  sailors  who  Avere  familiar  with  American 
waters,  skilled  mechanics,  and  gt  ntlemen  of  raidv. 

I)e  Monts  was  the  first  to  leave  France,  sailing  from 
Hiivrt^  de  Grace  (m  the  7th  of  Ainilin  a  vessel  commanded 
by  (Captain  Timotliee;  Avith  him  Avere  the  Sieurs  de 
Poutrincourt  and  Champlain,  and  other  g(>ntlem(>n.  Three 
da\s  later,  on  the  10th,  thi^  other  vessel,  comman(h'd  bv 
Captain  Morel  of  Hontleur,  Avith  the  Sieur  de  Pont-GraAe 


II 


I 


8  CHAMPLAIN's   EXl'LOl'iA    ions 

jiiul  the  rest  of  the  Coiupfiiiv,  sailetl  Avith  stoves  to  join  De 
Moiits  tit  CiUK'eau,  Avliicli  had  been  selected  as  the  rendez- 
vous. 

AN'hen  at  sea,  liowever,  De  Monts  changed  liis  ])lans  and 
directed  his  course  to  a  ])ort  further  to  the  westward.  On 
the  1st  of  May  he  siohtcd  Sable  Island,  on  tlie  8th  the 
main  land  at  Cape  la  Ht've,  and  on  the  lOth  made  a 
harl)or,  at  the  ])resr]it  lJver])ool,  called  by  him  "Port 
" riossi<vnol."  On  the  i'Mh  the  party  diseuiba'rked  at  "Port 
"au  Mouton "'  and  proceeded  to  erect  shelters,  having 
d<'termined  to  await  here  the  arrival  of  their  consort,  in 
search  of  whom  a  small  party  was  sent  toward  Canceau  in 
a  shallop  with  letters  of  advice. 

Meanwhile  on  the  l*.)th  of  May,  ("ham}>]ain,  accomi)anied 
by  the  Sieur  llalleau,  secretary-  of  De  Monts,  and  ten  men, 
left  "Port  au  Mouton"  for  the  pur])oso  of  making  a 
reconnoisance  of  the  coast.  H(^  rounded  Cape  Sal)le, 
passed  along  the  west  coast  of  Nova  Scotia  and  penetrated 
the  Bay  of  Fundy  to  nearly  the  site  of  Anna])olis,  and  then 
rc>turned  to  "Port  au  Mouton"  about  the  middle  of  June. 
On  the  following  day  tli(»  C-ompany,  now  increasinl  by  the 
andval  of  the  other  vessel,  .abandoned  tlu^ir  temporary 
shelters.  Following  the  ccmrse  which  C'hami)lain  had 
prenously  taken  they  diligently  explored  the  south  and 
ncn-th  slun'es  of  the  J>ay  of  Fundy,  but  without  determining 
upon  the  ])lace  for  their  settlement.  Leaving  the  mouth  of 
of  the  St.  John  Iviver  and  })roceediiig  westward,  they 
landed  first  upon  an  island  Avhich,  from  the  great  iuind)er 
of  birds  rescMubling  mag])ies  {niciyos,)  tliey  named  "L'Tsle 
"auv  margos;"  the  litth'  cluster  is  now- known  as  "The 
"Wolves."  Further  to  the  westward  could  be  seen  other 
islands,  nays  (Miam])lain,  one  of  large  extent,  called  by  the 
natives  "  Manthane,"  a  name  Avhich,  und(;r  the  disguise  of 
"Menan,"  it  still  bears. 

After  leaving  "Isl(>s  aux  Margos"  they  came  to  a  river 
in   the   main   land,    and   passing  by   the   present  site  of 


^ 


OF   THE   COAST   OF   MAINE. 


9 


Eastport  tlicy  entered  the  broad  expanse  of  Passaniacinoddy 
liav.  Ascending;'  tlie  river  thev  came  to  a  point  Avliere 
were  two  islands,  on  tlie  hir^ev  of  Avliioli  tlie  little  colony 
disend)arked  and  be^an  at  once  the  necessary  preparations 
for  their  winter's  residence.  The  narrative  of  OhaiiiiJain 
gives  a  simple  hnt  vivid  i)icture  of  this  diminntive  settle- 
ment of  the  "Holy  C'ross,"  so  short  lived  tliat  its  very  site 
was  for  more  than  a  centnry  unknown.  It  is  now  called 
NeuJsral  or  De  Monts  Island,  and  the  river  is  fitly  called  by 
the  name  Avhicli  the  ill  starred  adventurers  i)iously  gave  to 
the  first  organized  attenii)t  to  plant  a  colony  on  our  shores. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  vexed  question  of  the  i)recise 
north-eastern  boundary  of  the  United  States  was  only 
determined  by  the  identification  of  this  island,  so  that  in 
more  senses  than  one  the  little  spot  on  our  frontier  has 
acquired  a  national  importance. 

But  the  Sieur  de  Monts  had  other  and  higher  objects  in 
view;  his  and)ition  reached  beyond  the  narrow  limits  of 
the  httle  island  of  "St.  Croix."  His  busy  brahi  found  full 
scope  during  the  bustle  of  })rei)aration,  and  while  cari)enters 
and  other  artisans  were  at  their  Avork,  and  the  various 
laborers  filled  out  the  long  summer  days  with  their  allotted 
tasks,  I  can  fancy  there  Avas  great  talk  of  Avliat  others  had 
done  and  they  might  do,  among  the  gentlemen  of  the  suite. 
The  dayhght  Hngers  long  in  these  northern  latitudes  in  the 
sunnner  tim(%  and  there  was  much  opjiortunity  for  counsel 
and  httle  need  of  lanq)s  at  St.  Croix  at  the  time  of  which 
the  narrative  now  treats. 

On  the  last  day  of  August  I)(i  Poutrincourt  was  sent 
back  to  France  with  Secretary  Ilalleau,  the  fornu^r  to  make 
aiTangements  for  his  own  adventure  at  Port  Iloval,  the 
latter  to  put  in  order  some  of  the  athiirs  of  tli(>  Ccunpany. 
What  folio w(h1  I  give,  as  nearly  as  space  will  allow,  in 
Cliaiiq)lain's  own  words.  "After  the  departure  of  the 
"vessels,"  he  says,  "the  Sieur  de  Monts  determined  to  send 
"an  exi)editi(m,  without  loss  of   time,  along  the  coast  of 


10  ciLurrLiUx's  explorations 

^^  Xui-i/iti/ic'/iti.,  iuul  this  li(^  (H)iLiniitt(Ml  to  my  clinif^owlnoli 
"Avas  nnu-]i  to  my  liking.  To  tliis  oiid  I  li^ft  St.  ('roix  the 
":hi(l  of  S(^])t<Mnh('r,  1(504,  with  m  /iilldc/ic  of  soveiitocii  or 
"eighteen  Ions,  tAvclvc  sailors  ami  two  sa,va«:;es  as  guides. 
"This  (h'ly  wv  fouiiil  iho  vessels  of  the  Sienr  de  Pontriii- 
"court  which  Wi'vo  aiichcrcd  at  the  month  of  the  river  on 
"acconiit  of  th(^  had  Aveather,  and  from  this  s})ot  we  could 
"not  move  until  the  fifth  of  the  same  month,  und  then 
"when  two  oi'  three  lea<j;u(^s  at  sea  th(>  foi;"  canu^  u]>  so 
"thick  that  Ave  soon  lost  tlu^ir  V(>ssels  from  si^ht.  C'ontinii- 
"in<;j  our  course  alonp;  the  coast  w<'  mad<>  this  day  some 
"twenty-five  h\'if^ues  and  passed  hy  a  ^-eat  <]uantity  of 
"islands,  shallows  and  rcH'fs,  Avliich  exti^nd  seawards  in 
'*})laces  more  than  four  leapies.  "Wo  have  named  the 
"islands  '  Ics  i.slc.-i  raix/t'cN.'  ....  This  same  day  we  passed 
"(juite  near  an  island  which  is  some  four  or  five  leagues 
"long  and  wer(»  nearly  lost  on  a  little  rock  just  under 
■'water  Avhich  maih'   a  small  hole  in  our    hark    near  the 

"keel Tlie    island    is  very  high,    and   so    eleft    in 

"])laces  that  at  son  it  app(>ars  as  if  seven  or  (Mght  moun- 

" tains  were  ranged    si(h'    by  side I    have    named 

"this  ishind,  ' ///v/r  r/r.s  JA>y,/.sw/c.sc/7.s' its  latitude  is  44.^^. 
"The next  morning,  Gth  of  September,  Ave  made  tAVO  leagues 
"and  perceived  a  smoke  in  a  creek  Avhich  Avas  at  the  foot 
"of  the  mountains  and  saAv  tAvo  canoes  propelled  by 
"savages  aa'Iio  came  Avithin  nuisket  shot  to  reccmnoitre 
"us."  At  this  jM)int,  Avhich  Avould  appear  to  be  on  the 
soutlun/n  or  soutli-Avest(>rn  shore  of  Mount  Desert,  Cham- 
plain  a])pears  to  liaAC  ancli(n-ed  for  the  night,  for  he  says 
that  on  th(>  folloAving  day,  Avhich  was  the  7th  of  S(>ptemT)er, 
the  natives  returned,  and  after  rec(nving  j)r(^S(>nts  in 
exchange  for  lish  and  game,  consented  to  guide  the 
adventurin's  to  their  oAvn  home  at  PcitNfiyoKiJf  Avhere  they 
said  their  chief  liissdljvz  Avas. 

I  (piote  again  from  Champlain  :  "T  think  that  this  river 
"is    the    same    called    by    seA'eral    pilots    and   historians 


i 


1)F  THE   COAST   OF  MA1?JE. 


11 


ivhicli 
ix  the 

'Cll  ov 

ui(l*'S. 

iitriii- 

^■(■r  on 
could 

I  then 

up  so 

aitiim- 

,•  some 

tity  of 

I'ds  in 

eel  the 

passed 

iongues 
under 

'ar  the 

l(^ft  in 
n\oun- 
naniod 

is44i". 

l(>a<i;ues 
hr  foot 
UhI   hy 
nnoitre 
on  the 
diam- 
li(^  says 
cnihoT, 
'uts    in 
do    the 
'10  they 

lis  river 
storians 


"  XnriiiiiJx'/i'c  jind  wliic'li  lias  Ixm'Ii  described  hv  most  of 
"tluiiii  us  liroad  and  s])aci()us,  with  very  many  islands,  with 
"its  entrance  in  4IJ  to  4)V\  of  lalitude,  or,  accordiii}^' to 
"otliers,  in  44  more  or  less.  As  for  the  ]on^itu(h>,  1  liave 
"never  read  or  heard  anyone  speak  of  it.  They  say  also, 
"thei'e  is  a  great  city  well  peoj)]ed  with  savagt^s,  adroit 
"and  skillful,  and  used  to  the  manufacture  of  cotton.     I 


a 


am  sure  that  most  of  thosi^  who  speak  of  these  things 
"have  n«n'er  seen  them  and  di-rive  their  authority  from  mt  n 
"avIio  know  no  more  than  thems(4veM.  I  am  ready  to 
"l)(4ieve  that  ther(>  tiro  some  who  have  seen  the  mouth  of 
"the  river,  (i.  e.  tlu^  l)<\v, )  because  there  are  u  great  many 
"islands  there  and  it  is  in  44  .  But  there  is  no  api)<\'irance 
"of  anyonc^'s  having  entered  there,  for  tlu'V  would  have 
"describtnl  it  in  (piite  another  fn.sliion  in  order  to  rid  many 
"of  the  doubt.  I  shall,  therefore,  narratt^  truly  all  that  I 
"have  discovered  and  seen  from  the  beginning  a.s  fjvr  as  I 
"have  b(H'n." 

Ohamplain   then   describes  in  great  d(4ail  the  physical 

features    of    that    wonderful    ]K)rtion   of    our   coast   called 

Penobscot    Bay,    which    he    makes    extend    from    ]\fount 

Desert  in  the  east,  to  the  ]n"oniontovv  of  Jicdnlx  (}<■<■  on  the 

west,  (the  lu'esent  Owl's  Head.)     Midway,  and  out  at  sea, 

h»^  describes  that  singularly  pictures(|U(>  island  named  by 

him,  " /'.vA'  //r////«',"   a  name  it  still  beai-s.     I'ish  of  all  kinds 

abound,   and   game  which   make  the   numerous  islands  a 

frequent  resoii  for  the  natives  during  th(^  season.     On  the 

western  shore  xwo  ihv  nKuintains  of  /irdn/aih-c,  the  Camden 

hills    of    the    ])resent    Cv\\,    and   everywlu>re    are   wooded 

islands,  low  lying  rocks,  and  dangerous  reefs.     With  the 

scrupulous  care  which   characterizes  him   (nerywhere,  he 

gives  tlu^  necessary  directions  for  entering  the  head  waters 

of  the  bay. 

"Coming  to  the  South,"  he  says,  "of  the  ' isJc  hd'/fc,'  and 
"ranging  along  the  shore  for  a  quarter  of  a  ieagu(>  where  are 
"  some  rocks  just  out  of  water,  and  then  heading  to  the  west 


12  CHAMrLUNS  EXI'LOIJATIONS 

"until  you  open  all  tlio  islfinds  -wliicli  lie  to  the  north  of 
"tliis  island  and  you  may  be  sure  that  when  3'ou  see  the 
"ei^ht  or  nine  suniaiits  of  [sir  t'cs  Mo)if.s-(/<'S(ils  and  tlie 
"heijflits  of  li('<l(il)a1cc  you  art;  direetly  opposite  the  river  of 
"  NormnlHyiK' ;  to  enter,  you  nuist  head  to  the  north  toM  ardn 
"the  very  hi<;h  mountains  of  llcilnhcde-,  and  you  "svill  see 
"no  islands  before  you,  and  ean  enter  safely  with  plenty  of 
"water," 

Enti'rhig  the  Bay,  C'hami>lain  proeeeded  under  the 
guidance  of  the  savaj^es  he  had  taken  at  Mount  Desert  to 
the  narrows  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  ascended  the 
river  to  the  point  Avhere  the  Kenduskeafj;  stream  enters  it 
at  Bangor,  he  speaks  with  entliusiasm  of  the  scenery,  the 
river  banks  covered  w  ith  vertlure,  and  here  and  there  lovely 
stretelies  of  nu^adow.  At  this  point  his  })rogress  was 
arrested  by  the  falls.  So  he  remained  here  and  landed ; 
the  gn;at  oaks  on  the  shore  seemed  to  form  a  sort  of  park, 
to  have  been  ])lanted,  he  says,  "for  pleasure,"  but  no  city, 
no  })o})ulation  skilled  in  the  domestic  arts,  neither  there  nor 
anywhere  on  shore  or  on  island  was,  as  he  says,  "any 
"town  or  villag<;  or  any  appearance  of  there  having  bc(>n 
"any,"  only  one  or  two  s(|ualid  huts  covered  with  bark 
after  the  fashion  which  tliey  had  seen  jmictised  at  the  St. 
Croix  and  on  the  shores  of  tlic  great  bay. 

Here  tlicy  met  lUssahc:^  the  chief  or  captain  of  the 
tribe,  and  ('<i/><i/i!s,  who  liad  jurisdiction  over  a  family  or 
tribe  to  the  westward,  j)erha])s  at  wliiit  is  now  Belfast. 
(Ireat  stir  there  was  among  the  duNkv  natives  at  tlie  sight 
of  the  strangers,  dancing  and  singing,  and  much  consump- 
tion of  tobacco.  But  ('(ihtih'ts  drew  lumself  apart  from  tlie 
noisy  throng  for  a  Avhile,  because,  as  th<'  narrati^(;  says, 
"it  was  the  first  time  he  had  v.wv  se(>n  Christians." 

On  the  17th  ol'  Se])tend)(M',  the  day  after  all  these 
festivities,  C'liam])lain  took  the  altitude  and  found  45  25' 
north  latitude  and  l)egiin  the  descent  of  the  river,  and  so 
continued  coasting  to  the  westward.     At  what  I  judge  to 


OF  THE   COAST  OF   MAINE.  13 

.      ..  be  tho  Goorj^es  River  tlioii  native  {guides  left  tlieiii  because 

,  the  savages  (jf  the  (Jnini/)C(/iii/  were  their  eueiuies.     I  qriote 

'      ,   ^  Hi^aiu:    "We  ranged  along  the  coast  some  eight  h>agnes  to 

f  "the  westward  as  far  as  an  island  distant  some  ten  leagues 

,  "from  the    (Jtiiin'/)(''//n/.   where   we   were  obliged  to  stop  on 

.,,  "account  of  bad  weather  and  contrarv  winds;  in  one  i)art 

•  ill  ^A^i^  •  ^ 

,  '     ,,  "of  our  nmte  we  passed  a  (luantitv  of  islands  and  bn.'akers, 

'ntv  oi  .      ' 

"very    dangerous,    and    slndving    out   into    the    sea   some 

"leagues."     At  this  pcnnt  the  weather  and  ht>ad  Minds,  and 

the  scarcity  of  proWsions  comp(>lled  our  hardy  advejitur- 

ers   to  retrace  their  steps.     On    the    'iHd    of    September, 

three   weeks   after    leaving    St.   Croix    they  set  about  on 

tlunr  retui'n,  and  in  nine  days  after  were  greeted,  by  their 


er    the  > 

sert  to  ] 

U'd  the 

iters  it 

'ly,  the  ^ 

■^  A  few  remarks  may  be  permitted  upon  this  voyage.     It 

resulted  in  giving  to  two  of  our  most  prominent  and  beau- 
tiful islands  the  nain(>s  they  still  bear,  "]\]onnt  Desert"  and 
"Isle  Haute."     It  was  the  lirst  ascent  of  the  Penobscot  of 


comi)anions.* 


ss  was 
landed ; 
(f  park, 
no  city, 

ere  nor  hc  j^  ^^  almost  incredible!   tlmt    in   the  histories  <>£    tlic  United 

S      '^'0  States,  New  E!i<j;liuul  and  ^Nlaine,  scarcely  an  allusion  is  made  to  this 

ig  been  expedition  nndca-  the  oharj^e  of  Ch.unphun. 

|j   l);ivk  Bancroft  devotes  a  few  lines  to  the  operations  of  De  Monts,  under 

11      cf  the  dates  KJO.')-^,  but  does  not  nnnition  Chanipbiin's  a^feney. 

Wdliani-ion,  quotinf?  from  Belknap,  rr[x^^^  the  same  date.     Folsom 
ncjtes    the    landiiifj    at    Saeo.      Judfj^e    Godfrey    •'ives    a    somewhat 

OI    tne  detaik'd  a!'C:)iint  of  the  discoveries  in  the  Penol)scot,  but  erroneously 

luly  or  makes  the  date  lliO"),  and  l)e  Monts  one  of  the  jjarty. 

Jelfast.  Palfrt\v  ^Jjives   three   ]>ages   to   Goswold,    one   to  Prinj^,  one   to 

\v  si<dit  Weymouth,  but  dismisses  the  French  discoveries  in  a  few  disparaf>'ing 

lines.     Emphasizinc:  the  fact  of    their  having  r(\ached  Cape  (\)d  !! 
nsuni])-  .   .  . 

but  giving  uu  account  oi    tht-  detailed  uperaticms  on  the  coast  of 

"1"  t'^^'  Maine!! 

\v  says,  Parkman's  allusion  to  the  voyage  of  lGO-1  is  singularly  brief  and 

incomidete. 

^^|j^^>j^Q  The  result  which  has  been  reached  by  this  method  of    Avritiug 

I-     i)rj  history    has    been,    Avhether    intentional    or    not,    to   magnify   the 

English   at   the  expense  of    the   French,   and  Massachusetts  at  the 

expense  of  Maine. 


and  so 


udge  to 


14  chami'lain'.s  ExrLoi{ATiuxs  ijl 


which  any  trustwortliy  iccoiil  has  hccn  in'csoNcd,  It 
carried  tht;  tlajj;  of  Fraure  ami  the  banut'i-  (»'  the  church  to 
a  r(!iiiot('  point  in  the  interior. 

Two  othca-  noteworthy  tacts  ar*'  that  Chani[>lain  rec(UVOtl 
no  inteih^ence  of  any  Euro[)eans  on  the  coast,  and  found 
no  fixed  settlenu'uts  of  natives.  The  savages  liveil  on  the 
heatl-waters  of  tlie  rivers  and  alon^'  tlie  ixreat  carrying- 
places  wiiich  constitutinl  a  thoroughfare  from  one  end  of 
the  Acadian  Peninsula,  to  another,  so  that,  as  Chainplain 
was  intoriued,  one  could  go  from  tlie  St,  Croix  to  the  St, 
John  and  so  to  Quebec,  or  to  the  I'enoljscot  and  Kennebec, 
and  so  by  the  CHiaudiere  to  tla^  St.  Lawrence.  Tlu;  vast 
iietw(n'k  of  livers  and  lakes  made  communication  easy  and 
rapid.  That  no  tidings  were  rei-eived  of  any  Europeans 
on  the  coast  is  doubtless  satisfactory  evidenci;  that  at  this 
time,  in  1<)()4,  and  indeed  within  the  memory  of  the 
g(>neration  then  living,  there  had  been  no  attempt  at 
colonization,  or  even  any  exploration  of  the  country 
within  the  limits  traversed  bv  C'hami)lain.  It  would  seem 
also  to  confirm  the  theory  that  AVeymouth  could  not  have 
entered  the  Penobscot  in  the  foUowing  year,  for  so  impor- 
tant an  event  as  the  Aoyage  now  under  consid< -ration 
certainly  would  havc^  been  re})orted  to  him. 

During  the  month  of  ('liamj)lain's  absence  the  little  band 
had  busied  themselves  to  make  ])re])arations  for  the  winter, 
and  the  accession  to  their  iiund)er  of  the  retunuul  adven- 
turers only  gave  new  vigor  to  tlicii'  etlorts.  Shelter  Avas 
provided,  but  it  was  st-anty  (iiorgh  for  the  inclement 
seascni,  and  disease  of  irresistible  vii'ulence,  clutched  at 
these  poor  waifs  from  the  shores  of  sunny  France,  and 
closed  their  tyes  to  all  earthly  things.  ^Vhen  the  spring 
open<'d  the  litth^  cemetery  liad  in  it  thirty-tive  graves, 
nearly  as  many  dead  as  living  lolt  tc)  mourn  their  loss. 
Dispirited  at  such  gieat  misfortunes,  De  M<nits  resolved 
to  abandon  his  pl.-uitation  and  return  to  France;  but  on 
the  loth  of  Juiu?  the  little  bantl  was  gladdened  by  the  news 


1 


OF  THE   COAST   OF   MAINE.  li> 

If;  of  the  aiTival  of  t^v()  vcss«.']s  l)iiiigiii<i;  iv.vu  and  ])rovisi<)iis. 

^Q  "OiJ    the  s(V«'iit(  ciiili   of    tlu'   iiiolilli,"   Siivs  ( 'liaiiipliiiu, 

"tliu  Sicnr  dv  Mc-iits  (k'cidod  to  srck  for  a  plat-t' ht'ttt-r 
"siiit(>d  for  lialiitatioii  than  onrs,  and  on  the  ciplitccntli  lit' 
"left  the  island  of  St.  Cioix  with  soiuf  ^('ntlcn.ciL,  lAvcntv 
"sailors  and  two  savages,  Piiiioiiniits  and  his  wift',  wlioni 
"he  did  not  wish  to  leave  behind,  and  Avhoni  wt'  took  with 
"us  as  a  j^iiide  to  the  country  of  the  ^■lliiiit''i/i!ii>'n(.s,  hopin<? 
"li_v  means  of  her  to  see  and  learn  more  of  the  country, 
"f(tr  she  was  a  native  of  it. 

"So  ranging'  along  the  coast  hetwcen  J/r)iiih(,  which  is 
"ahout  three  leagru^s  iVoni  the  main  land,  we  came  to  the 
"s<>nthward  of  the  ' /.v/r.v  nnio'/rs'  and  anchored  at  one 
"when!  there  wvvv  so  many  cnnvs  that  Me  named  it  '  A/f 
"S//,,"  conicilhs,'  from  thence  we  made'/y'/W^'  <'<s  .I'm.fs- 
"'(/r.sv'//.s,'  which  is  at  the  entrance  of  the  river  X(>riniihv(jii<\ 
"as  I  have  said  hefore;  thence  W(>  went  som«>  fiv(M^r  six 
"leagues  among  s(»veral  islands."  These  were  doubtless 
the  Fox  Islands,  and  here  they  f(mnd  a  good  harhoi'.  On 
the  1st  of  July  tluy  set  sail  to  the  w<'stward  and  made 
some  twenty-live  leaguers,  passing  the  islands  and  rei'fs 
Champlain  had  notictnl  in  tlu'  previ(ms  voyage,  and  reach- 
ing tlu^  mouth  of  the  (Jiiii'i/ir(/i/i/,  as  Cham])lain  saj's,  they 
|,jjjjj  anchored  some  three  hundred  yards  from  the  entrance  in 

„.•  ,j.,,,.  five  or  six  fathoms. 

1  Tho  narrative  says:    "At  the  entrance  there  is  an  island 

,  "  (juite  high  which  we  have  namtnl  'A/  forfiic,'  and  between 

,.,  ,,,i.  "this  and  the  main  land  ar(^  some  scattered  islands  and 

enu'Ut 

1  .|^  "rocks,  covered  at  high  watca',  but  the  sea  breaks  over 

^   ^^1  "them.     The  'Me  dc  la  /mine'  and  the  river  are  SSE.  and 

^-])rlng  .^.^^^. 

,  Thev  were  delaved  luM'e  bv  the  f(\g,  but  on  the  5th  of 

1    , ,  Julv  thev  b(^gan  the  exploration  of  the  river.     Thev  Avere 

)•  loss.  '  .'  . 

1      1  noAV  obviouslv  in  the  Sheepscot  River,  which  seems  to  have 

T     ,  been   called   also   (}uinib(>(|uy   by   the  natives.     At  some 

distance  up  the  river  they  narroAvly  esciiped  being  lost  on 

3 


UMI 


le  news 


16 


CllA.Ml'IAlN  S    KXrJ.OllATIONS 


a  rock  wliicli  tlicv  ^vji/cd  in  passinji;;  fiiitlicr  on  tln-y  met 
sonui  savii}.';«'s  in  two  canoes;    \t\  llic  aid  of    the  wife  of 
tlicii'  f^uiile  they  accosted  tlicsc  linntcrs  Jind  st'cnrcd  tluir 
services  as  ffuidcs  to  tlicir  cliicf  }I<niiliith)iii  nm  r.     I'rocccd- 
injj;  some  miles  tliev  passed  tliron^li  a  beautiful  country 
M-itli  line  meadov,-  lands  and  little  streams,  then  tliey  passed 
1)T  an  island  some  four  lea<^ues  lon<if,  and  at  liist  reached 
the  head  of   the  river,  proliahly   where  is  now  Wiscasset. 
Here  was  .Miiiitlni'nmriiirr,  their  chief,  and  some  twenty-tive 
or  thirty  sava^^es.     Ther(>  was  at  first  some  timidity  on  the 
part  of   the  natives,  Imt  the  conference  resulted  amicably, 
presents  were  exchanged,  .ind  a  species  of   otVcmsive  and 
defensive  alliance  concluded  between  the  two  parties.     On 
the  followinj^'  mornin«j;,  umh-r  the  {i;uidance  of  the  savages, 
the  party  descended  the  river  by  another  passaf^c;  than  that 
of   the  })revious  ascent,  with   the  int(>nticm  of   reachinjjj  a 
lake,  so  called,  which  appeared  to  be  a  well  known  resort 
of  neighboring  tribes.     "What  follows  I  give  i]i  Champlain's 
words: 

"Passing  In  some  islands  e;ich  of  the  savages  left  an 
"arrow  near  a  cape  by  which  all  nmst  ]>ass;  they  believe 
"that  unless  they  do  this  the  devil  will  bj-ing  about  some 
"misfortune  ;  they  live  in  this  sup«'rstition  as  well  as  many 
"others.  Near  this  cnpe  we  ])assed  a  fall  of  water,  but  it 
"was  not  done  without  gi'eat  difHculty,  for  although  we  had 
"a  fair  and  fresh  wind  and  carried  all  th(i  sail  we  possibly 
"could,  we  were  obliged  to  take  a  hawser  ashore  and 
"fasten  it  to  the  trees  and  then  pull  with  all  our  strength,  and 
"thus  l)y  main  force  and  the  favoring  wind  Ave  got  through. 
"The  savages  who  Avere  Avith  us  carric^l  their  canoes  along 
"the  shore,  being  unable  to  nndie  headAvay  Avith  their 
"paddles.  Xiivv  liaving  pass(>d  the  fall  av(^  saAV  beautiful 
"nu-adoAv  lands.  I  was  nmcli  astonished  at  this  fall 
"because  Ave  descended  easily  Avith  tlu^  tide,  but  at  th.e  fall 
"it  Avas  against  us,  but  above  the  fall  it  ebbed  as  before 
"  much  to  our  satisfaction.     Pursuing  our  route  Ave  came  to 


!      I 


1^ 


3. 


i^ 


OF    TMK    (OAST    or    MAINK.  17 

*^    '  ";i  I;il<('  wliicli  is  tlir('<>  or  I'oiir  Irii^ut's  loiijjj,  wWh  islaiuls  in 

^^^ ''    ,  "it.     H(>vt' (Icscciid  hv(»  ii\crs,  t1i<>  O- ////Vry/// wliicli  coiiirs 

"  "from  tlic  iiortlii'Mst,  ninl  iniollicr  wliicli  coiih^s  tVoiii  tli(> 

'**"*  "nortliwcst,  l»y  \\]ii('li    l/'r//'////*/ iiinl  >'":.///""  wrrc  to  coiiir, 

'"^"'^^■^'  "l)ut  liaviii<,'  waiN'.l  tlic   wliolr  of  tliis  day  witlioiit  seeing' 

P^*'^^*  *  "tlicin    MC    r^'solvrd    to    keep    oiir    iiliie    eiii|il(>ye(l,    iilid    so 

''"^^  "\vei<>;1i(>d  aiu'lior  aiu]  eaiiic  to  tile  liioiltll  of  tlie  river." 

ioassoi.  Time    will    not   ])ei'mit    a    full    translation    of    tl'e    A-erv 

iitA-me  interestinj'   des{'rii)tion   wlneli   follows.     It  is  evident  tliat 

4-1 

•^'^  Clianiplain     ascended     the    Sliee]>sc'ot    to     the     noitlierii 

iicani},  extremity  of   Westiiort,  (h-seended   the   river  on   the  wtst 

ive  aiHi  j^j,|j,    jj£    ^]i,,    ish-md,   passed   close   to   what   is  now   called 

'^*        ^^  Hockaniock  point,  prilled  the  vessel  through  u])]»er  Hellj^ate 

"^^'^^*'^'  and   so  entered  the   Kennehec  i)roi)er,   and   ])assed  on   to 

111  III 

nvii  tiiiii  Merrvmeetin};'   l>ay.     The  descent   \\;is  made  hy  the  tnio 

cluiif^  a  channel  to  the  site  of  Fort  Popliam,  wlun-e  they  prohably 

u  resort  anchored,  unless  thev  made  a  harhoi-  a  little  fnrth(M'  to  the 

nplain  h  westward.      From    the    Indians    Champlain    I'eceived    an 

accni'atci  desi-ription  of    this  noble  rivt'r;  th(\v  told  him  it 

1  left  an  ^y.^^  ^]j^,  ^i.(.;||;  i-outi;  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  explained  to 

believe  \nn\  the  connection  between  it  and  th(^  ('handiere,  describ- 

nt  some  [j^^^  [^  iact,  the  very  route   by  Avhich,  one  hundred  and 

IS  many  seventy  years  lat(>r,  tlu^  intre])id  Arnold  carried  his  brave 

r,  but  it  little  army  to  the  very  w;dls  of  (}u(>bee.     They  furtlnn- told 

i^veliad  liJiij  {;ij;it  there  were  no  Indians  on  the  coast,  but  that  in 

)ossibly  the  int(n'ior,  ]>robably  meaning  Norridgewock,  they  lived 

)re   and  and  cultivated  th(>  soil. 

gtli,  and  On    the    eighth    of    the    month    the    party,   previ(msly 

:lir(mgli.  detained   by   tlu^   fog,  set  sail  to  the  Avestward,  ])robal)ly 

es  along  t.aking  a  diriH't  course^  for  the  h(\'ulland  of  Cape  Elizabeth, 

til   their  £()!•    they    ])assed    without    entering    Casco    Bay,    ivhicli 

)(\iutifiil  Cliani])lain  dc^scribes  as  full  of   islands,  and  beyond  tliein 

this    fall  to  the  west  great  mountains  Avliere  dwells  a  savage  chit>f 

:  the  fall  named  "./.t'//."     Tiie  next  day  coasting  along  they  saw 

s  bef(n'e  signs  of  habitations,  smokes  in  the  main  land  Avliicli  seemed 

canu^  to  to  invite  them,  and  many  of  the  natives,  more  than  eighty 


CliAMJ'L.MN  H   KXri.OltATlONS 

lulxT,  (liiiiciii"^  !iik1  {^«'sti('iil;itin;j;  on  tlu>  sliorc.  Tlio 
\>''\'e.ss('l  Diiiic  to  otl  \sli:it  is  now  Old  Orcli.ird  IJciU'h,  untl 
juicliorcd  inside  of  what  is  now  Htratton's  Island.  Hcrt) 
thcrt'  was  a  tVicndh'  ».ronl'ia>'nc'e  with  the  natives,  and  Ironi 
this  point  thin'  niado  a  visit  to  an  island,  "which,"  in 
Clianiplain's  laiij^uai^c,  "is  vcrv  hcantil'ul,  having  thic  oaks 
"and  wahuits;  tiio  soil  is  t-nltivated  and  hi^ais  vines  with 
"good  grapes  iu  thi'ir  season.  Tiiey  were  the  tir^t  wo  iiad 
".seen  sinee  k'aving  C'a])e  ^hi  11' re'  This  we  called  '  L'i-sic 
"W/r  Ii<ifi liii.s."^''  One  e.in  with  (LilHculty  recognize  under 
this  description  the  Kichniond  Island  of  the  present  day. 
The  loftv  oaks  and  walnuts,  and  luxuriant  vines  have 
(hsajipeared,  and  all  that  remains  of  the  spot  which,  i)erha|)S 
more  than  any  other  on  our  coast,  with  the  t^\ce})tion  of 
Pennnpiid,  was  m  tlie  early  (hiys  the  resting  phice  t)f  trade 
and  active  enter}»rise,  is  a  bare,  wind-swept  field,  uninviting 
to  all  but  the  storm-beaten  sailor  who  seeks  shelter  under 
its  lee. 

"At  high  water,"  Champlain  continues,  "Avt^  AVt'ighed 
"anchor  and  entered  a  little  river,  (tlu;  Saco,)  which  we 
"could  not  do  sooner  on  account  of  a  l)ar,  on  which  at  low 
"tide  there  is  but  one-half  a  fathom  of  water,  but  at  the 
"flood  a  fathom  and  one-half,  and  at  the  spring  tide  two 
"fathoms,  within  are  thn.-e,  four,  five  and  six,"  a  A'ery 
accurate  descvi[)ti(jn  of  the  physical  features  apparent  to 
this  day.  C.'hamplain,  with  his  customary  exactness  enters 
i:ito  minute  dtdails  of  the  habits,  appearanc(\  and  character 
of  tlu!  people.  The  river,  he  says,  was  called  the  riAer  of 
the  (Jhoi-ucDvt  country.  They  landed  and  examined  the 
little  gardens  of  the  inhabitants;  C'hamjtlain  and  l)e  Monts 
Avere  interested  in  the  culture  of  mai/e,  "They  ])lant," 
says  the  narrativ(>,  "in  gardens,  sowing  three  or  four  giains 
"in  one  spot,  and  then  with  tla^  shell  of  the  '.s/;///or'  tliey 
"gatlier  a  little  earth  around  it:  three  feet  from  that  they 
"sow  again,  and  so  on." 

We  can  scarcely  improve,  even  now,  on  this  method  of 


i. 


It£l 


\)r  riir.  < oast  ov  .viaink. 


ID 


Th." 

1,  iunl 

llciv 

.  from 

I,     111 

3  OllkH 

s  with 

r'O    llilll 

'  /;isii' 

iimlor 
it  I  lay. 
■i  have 
c'lhaps 
)tii)n  of 
f  trade 
nvitiug 
r  uiuler 

vt'ighed 
lich  we 
I  tit  low 
t  at  the 
i(Ui  two 
a   very 
ireiit  to 
filters 
arai'ter 
rnev  of 
led   the 
!  Monts 
lilnut," 
rains 
>r'  they 
lat  they 

'thod  of 


ir 


phiiitiii^  that  ^\nll(h•rful  grain  whicli  ('haiiiplaiii  ralhs 
"wliciit  of  Imha,"  Mild  we  I  iidiaii  col  ii.  A  word  liny  he 
in  ]>la(T  witii  i«  IViciicr  to  th»'  sinj^nlar  agvicuhiual  iniii'"- 
iiit'iit  used  hy  the  liatiNcs.  ( 'haiiij>laili  .sa_\  s  it  \\as  the 
shell  of  the  s'kjuo'-,  a  reniarkal>le  lisli  to  which,  later  on,  he 
pves  sonu'  pajjics  of  descriiilioii,  Jt  was  siiin»ly  the  cuiiouH 
.shell  of  the  hoiscshor  era!),  and  tlio*^*'  who  ari'  familiar 
with  it  can  readilv  understand  how  servici'ahle  it  inav  have 

«  « 

been  ill  their  siinj)ler  <i;ardenin<j;  o])erations,  Chainplain 
made  u  cliait  of  this  harbor,  ;j,i\in,u"  all  the  ]»roniinent 
features  of  the  coast  and  riv<'r  line,  with  soundings,  just  as 
lu!  had  conscientiously  done  hefort!  at  the  Keniieiiec,  at 
St.  Croix,  on  the  shor«>  of  the  Hay  of  Fundy  and  Novft 
Scotia,  I'hese  Aver«!  all  studies  fo'  iiie  maps,  which,  as 
Royal  (Geographer,  it  was  his  sjiecial  mission  to  ])repaie. 

On  the  tAvelfth  of  the  month,  or  prol.ahly  on  the 
t'leveiith,  because  \\v  says  it  was  on  Sunday  and  Sunday 
was  on  the  eleventh,  the  little  band  left  "  ('/,oi,<i(t.<'t.'' 
They  nnuh'  some  twenty  miles  to  the  westwar<l,  but  contrary 
winds  conqx'lled  theni  to  anchor;  on  the  main  land  where 
they  went  ashori'  were  meadow  lands  of  great  i'xt(  lit,  but 
only  two  natives  were  s<:en,  who  Hed  at  their  a})proach. 
They  saw  great  quantities  of  starhngs,  whose  song  like  the 
black])irds  of  their  own  country,  (l(»ubtless  l)rought  many 
thoughts  of  Franci'i  and  there  were  wild  grajjes  also,  and 
walnuts,  and  luxuriant  vt^rdure.  The  coast,  he  «ays.  wan 
sandv,  as  inde(>d  it  had  been  since  they  left  i\*v  Kennelsec. 
The  head  wind  continuing,  they  retraced  their  loute  some 
six  miles,  and  anchored  at  the  harbor  at  Cajie  Poi  poise, 
which  C'hanij)lain  calls  "  /'o/7  (ni.r  /.v/fN,"  on  account  of  the 
three  islands  which  famish  shelter  tli(n'(>.  But  his  ol  strv- 
ing  eye  had  noticed  the  (^trance  of  the  luniiebunk  l\i\er, 
and  he  giv(>s  also  a  very  correct  (h>scri])tioii  of  tliis  h.-abor, 
with  such  sailing  dir(>ctions  as  would  make  the  jtassage 
easy  to  any  navigator  who  might  follow  him.  His 
computation    of    the  latitude   of    this   pohit   is  correct   to 


20 


(■|[A:\ilM..VIN  S    KXI'LOIIATIONS 


?  1 


within  iivc  oiic-lmiidnnltlis  of  n  (Ic^icc.  11"  av;is  not  until 
the  tit'tcontli  of  the  month  thnt  tlicv  wcic  iiltlc  to  ])1'o('(>(h1 
upon  t]i(>ir  jouTnry.  V>\  the  lonji,-  sea  lu-aclics  of  Wells 
tuul  York  and  Hani})toi!  tlicy  roasted.  l)nt  with  no  induce- 
ment to  seek  a  harbor,  and  so  as  the  sun  was  settin<>'  thev 
Bteered  to  the  soutln\ard,  passed  tiie  Merrimack  and  its 
surrouudi!i<jj  marshes,  whicli,  in  the  dim  twili<i;ht  se(>med 
like  a  threat  hay,  cau<i;ht  a  _ti;]impse  in  the  east  of  the  Isles 
of  Shoals,  and  at  last  anchored  under  the  shelter  of  Cape 
Ann,  to  await  the  (hiy. 

We  have  no  imniediate  interest  in  tlu'ir  explorations  to 
the  southward;  it  is  interestin<j;  to  know  that  thev  crossetl 
Masy.ichnsetts  Ixiy,  entered  on  the  eiiihteenth  of  the 
month  the  harhor  in  which,  fifteen  yeai's  later,  the  Pil<;-rini 
Fathers  found  their  home,  rounded  tln>  sandv  i)r(  niontory 
of  Caj)e  Cod,  and  terminatcnl  theii  southward  journey  at 
what  is  now  Nanset.  Evich'utly  no  knowled<j;e  of  (losnold's 
expedition  had  reached  our  adventurers,  for  Cham])lain 
gives  his  own  names  to  the  places  he  visited,  and  to  C^ipe 
Cod  gives  till'  more  a])|)ro[)riate  designation  of  Cn/i  lilmic, 
the  Whit(^  (\a])e. 

On  the  'ioth  of  July,  De  "A[onts,  finding  his  stores  rapidly 
diminishing,  decided  to  return  to  St.  (^roix.  On  his  return 
he  stop])ed  again  at  ('hintn  of  and  here  had  an  interview 
■with  '"  Miirrliiiii,"  the  Sagamo  (tf  C-isco  l-Jay,  "who,"  says 
Chani])lain,  "had  the  re))utation  of  Ixung  one  of  the 
"bravest  nnm  of  his  country,  and  he  had  a  tine  manner, 
"and  all  his  gestures  and  move'uents  were  grave  and 
"digui tied,  savage  thougli  h(^  was.''  They  gav(^  him  ])res- 
ents,  and  he  in  retui-n  gave  them  a  young  Etechemin  from 
the  eastward,  an  Indian  hoy  whom  he  had  ma(hi  ])ris()ner 
ill  acnne  f(n'ay.  From  the  Saco  tlnn-  procee(hMl  to  tln^ 
KeniiebtH',  arriving  tlun-e  on  the '20th  of  July.  Here  they 
had  an  int'rview  witli  a  chieftain  named  Aitn^soii. 

Again  I  (piote  from  (•himplain:  "  Ht;  told  us  there  was 
"a  vessel  six  leagues  from   the  harbor  which  had  been 


OF   THE   COAST   OF   MAINE. 


21 


SilVS 

tiio 
niuT, 
jiiul 

])1('S- 

'roin 
soiier 


the 
they 


'  {'ii^a^'cd  ill  fis]iiii<jj,  .-iiid  the  people  on  Ixjjird  liad  killed 
"live  siiviij^es  of  this  river,  iindei-  tlu^  pretense  of  fi'ieiidsliip, 
"and  accordinij;  to  his  (h>seri])tion  we  judj^e  them  to  he 
"English,  and  named  the  island  whcnv  they  were  '  I.<  AV/',' 
"heeanse  at  a  distance  it  had  that  a])]»paranee."  (That  is, 
it  looked  like  the  hnll  of  a  ship.)  This  was  Monhe^an,  and 
in  these  few  lines  nvv.  the  onlv  allnsions  by  (Jhami)lain  to 
ct)ntt!njj)orai'v  rhi}j;lish  discoveries  on  onr  coast.  The 
vess(d  was  the  Archaiijj;el,  nnder  (ieor;^e  Weymonth. 

F  mi  tlu^  Kennehee  <mr  adventurers  steer(Ml  for  ''Isle 
"* Iid'ifc,''  airivinj^  on  tlu^  last  of  'Tnly,  where  they  aneluned 
awaitinjj;  the  (hiwn.  Aui^ust  1st  they  proceeded  to  ('ap 
('niiK'iJIc,  where  they  passtnl  the  iiij^ht;  on  the  second  tlu'y 
arrived  at  ilu^  old  ])l;nitation  at  St.  Croix,  Avliere  they 
found  a  vt'ssel  with  su]>])li;'S  from  France. 

With  rt>f(M'ence  to  this  second  voyajj;e  of  (Mianiplain,  a 
fcAV  points  arc;  to  he  noticed.  Tlu^  ])revious  discoveries 
wore  passed  hv  without  further  investigations;  tlu^  P'H'ty 
did  not  (ncn  enter  P<Miol)scot  Bay,  hut  tlu^  exploration  of 
the  Sheepscot  and  Keniu^hec  was  thoroui^h. 

Th(^  Indians  were  in  the  interior,  and  while  they 
appeared  to  liav(>  had  some  knowled^(^  of  l''uro])eans,  it 
was  not  of  such  a  character  as  to  warrant  an  o])inion  that, 
within  thiMr  memory,  there  had  been  any  white  s(>itlements 
on  the  coast.  rAov/'v^/  Avas  the  most  ini])ortant  point 
discov<n'(Ml,  and  here  a]>])ears  to  have  been  the  only 
settlement  of  the  aborigines  which  had  a  ]iernianent  char- 
tu'tov. 

Dissatisfied,  both  with  his  settlimients  at  St.  (^'oix,  and 
his  discoveries  to  the  south  and  W(>st  alonp;  the  coast,  De 
I\Ionts  now  (l(U(>rmiiied  to  transplant  his  c(>Jony  to  Port 
Tloyal.  H(^  himself  returned  to  France'.  Ihit  (^hanqilain 
could  not  leave  his  work  unfinished;  he  decided  to  r(>main, 
and  his  siin])le,  modest  narrativ(>  ^ives  us  a  vivid  pictui'e 
of  the  preparations  made  for  the  ensuiiiii;  winter.  ITis 
ho])e,  as  lu>  says,  was  to  make  new  discoveries  in  the 
direction  of  Florida. 


a.j 


CHAMP1.AL\  S   L^Pl.onATIONS' 


Ou  the  1st  of  Miivfli,  l()Of),  till'  Sieiir  du  Pout-Grave 
fittt'tl  out  ii  vi'sscl  of  alxmt  t'i^liteeii  tons.  On  tlie  sixte(>ntli, 
all  being  n-adv,  they  set  sail,  but  were  obljffcd  to  seek  a 
harl)or  on  an  island  to  tlu^  soiitli  of  Cilrand  Menan.  On 
the  follo\vin<i;  day  they  made  sonu'  tifty  miles  to  the  west- 
wai'd,  ])robably  near  Mount  Desert,  bi;t  a  severe  storm  so 
bul'li'ted  thiun,  that  in  the  little  harbor  Avhere  thev  had 
anchored  they  wci'e  driven  ashore.  After  rcpairinj^;  the 
frail  l)ark  tliey  returned  to  Poit  lloyal.  On  the  "iiltli  of 
April  they  made  another  attempt,  only  to  meet  ^vith  fresh 
disasters,  for  at  the  entrance  to  Port  Ivoyal  tlx'y  were 
afj;ain  east  ashore,  losinjjj  their  vessel,  ;;nd  running  imminent 
risk  of  their  lives. 

Disheartened  at  tln^se  disast<'rs,  and  the  non-a])])earanee 
of  the  vessels  which  were  expected  with  sn])])lii'S,  l)u  Pont 
dcH'idinl  to  return  to  France,  an<l  on  tJie  Kith  of  July  the}' 
abandoned  Port  lltyal,  leaving  two  men  who  had  bravely 
vohniteered  to  remain  and  guard  tlu^  proptniy  which  was 
left  behind.  After  having  rounded  Cape  Sable,  however, 
they  were  gladdentd  b-y  the  sigiit  of  a  shallop,  in  whicli 
was  Sicmr  Ralleau,  secretary  of  \)v  ^Fonts.  He  announced 
the  anival  of  the  "Jonas,"  a  vessel  bringing  new  acc(>ssioiis 
under  the  comnumd  of  Poutrincourt,  to  the  colony, 
among  others  the  versatile  advocate  Lescarbot,  the  future 
liistoi-ian  of  New  France.  So  tiiey  gla<lly  retraccMl  their 
ste])s,  and  on  the  IJlst  of  July  arrived  once  more  at  Port 
Royal.  The  n(>w  comers  set  to  work  with  commendable 
vigor,  and  the  stoiy  of  their  daily  avocaticms,  as  narrated 
by  Lescarbot,  is  exceedingly  (^ntcn'taining;  l)ut  with  this 
our  limits  will  not  ])ermit  us  to  dwell.  Du  Pont  decided 
to  return  to  France  and  tak(i  with  him  all  the  company  who 
passed  with  him  the  ]irevious  winter,  with  a  few  exee])tions. 
Among  these  Champlain,  who  says:  "I  remained  also, 
"with  the  Sieur  de  Poutrhicourt,  intcmding  by  the  gi'aco  of 
"(rod,  to  finish  and  p(>rfect  the  chart  which  I  had  com- 
"menced  of  the  ccmntry  and  tlu^  coast." 


OF   THE   COAST   OF   MAINE. 


23 


After  one  iiioft'ectual  attempt,  the  jiarty  left  Port  Eoyal 
on  the  5th  of  Scptenilx^r,  1()(1().  On  the  seventh  they 
anchored  in  the  St.  Croix,  on  th*^  eighth  they  visited,  in  a 
small  boat,  the  island  Avhere  l)v  ]\[onts  had  spent  the 
dreary  winter  of  IfJO-l-o.  They  fonnd  some  traces  of  the 
gardens,  still  be.iring  some  of  the  })()t  herbs  planted  so 
long  before,  and  some  grain  self-sown,  and  in  excellent 
condition.  Returning  to  their  vessel  they  coasted 
to  the  Avestward,  to  proceed  directly  to  the  extreme 
limit  of  the  discoveries  of  the  preceding  year,  so 
to  lose  no  time  on  the  twelfth  they  turned  towards 
Chouacoet,  and  reached  the  river  on  the  twenty-lirst. 
Lescarbot  gives   some  details  of    tliis  nine  days  voyage. 

They  Avere  four  dajs  in  reaching  Penobscot  ]3ay,  having 
stopped  en  route  to  re})air  their  little  craft.  Passing  through 
the  Fox  Islands  thev  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec, 
Avhere  they  were  again  in  pi'ril  on  account  of  the  "gi-eat 
"  currents  Avliich  are  peculiar  to  the  place."  It  Avould  aitpear 
also,  fi-om  Lescarbot,  that  the  party  landed  at  Cape  Eliza- 
beth before  reaching  Haco,  but  upon  this  point  there  is 
some  doubt.  Champlain  adds  that  the  Indians  at 
Chouacoet  had  finisli(>d  their  harvest,  and  that  he  did  not 
fail  to  taste  the  grain's  on  the  island  of  Bacchus,  which 
Avere  ripe  and  quite  good.  From  this  point  they  made  Cape 
Ann,  and  so  to  the  soutlnvard ;  l)ut  the  voyage  Avas  Avithout 
findt.  In  a  conflict  Avitli  the  natives  they  lost  several  of 
their  company.  On  the  28tli  of  October  they  set  sail  from 
Malabarre  for  the  Isle  Haute.  On  the  thirty-first,  betAveen 
Mount  Des(a't  and  the  Mouth  of  the  Machias,  they  lost 
tlunr  rudder  and  Avere  in  imminent  peril.  AVith  much 
ingenuity  they  succeeded  in  reaching  a  harbor,  but  not 
until  the  l-4th  of  NoA'end)er,  after  many  (hmgers  and 
disastt^rs  did  they  reach  Port  Eoyal.  Of  their  I'uthusi- 
astic  reception,  the  feasting  and  mas(|uerading  Avhich 
followed,  the  long  Avinter  enlivened  by  Lescarbot's  Avit,  and 
the  bonhommie  of  their  versatile  and  vivacious  nation,  our 


24  c;h\mi'l.vin's  explouations 

limit,  will  not  pennit  us  to  give  any  description  For  the 
purpose  of  this  hasty  investigation  we  have  notlang  to  (U. 
with  the  future  of  the  colony.  ,  •      •  , 

I  fancy  that  few  who  have  rea.l  the  simple  narrative  m 
Champlain's  wcmls,  or  who  have  followed  this  very 
imperfect  ahridgoment  of  it,  can  fail  to  see  its  important 
bearing  on  the  history  of  our  State.  So  far  as  I  know  the 
three  voyages  are  the  first  thoroughly  hitelligible  contribu- 
tion to  the  cartography  of  Maine. 

That  the  work  was  done  by  a  gentleman  of  such  energy 
patience,  and  accuracy,  must  be  to  us  a  matter  of  constant 
satisfaction.     His  monument  is  here,  as  well  as  on  the 
banks  of    the  majestic  St.  Lawrence,  and  his  memory  wiU 
be  preserved  in  the  gi-eat  landmarks  on  our  coast  which 
bear  the  names  he  gave  them  two  hundred  and  seventy 
years  ago,  as  weU  as  in  the  great  lake  he  discovered,  and 
Vhich  bears  his  name,  or  the  quahit  town  which  he  founded 
on  the  heights  of    Quebec,  and  which  to  this  day  has  the 
sight  and  sound  and  savor  of  that  older  time,  a  gift,  as  it 
were,  of    one  of   its  family  jewels  from  the  Old  France  to 
the  New. 


